


Stormy Eyes, Shaking Hands

by Ellienerd14



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, New deviancy, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22508062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellienerd14/pseuds/Ellienerd14
Summary: 'Chloe can’t help but think North is more than just human. She’s a storm. She’s dangerous. She’s stunning.'After the failed revolution in Detroit, Elijah Kamski drags the bitter leader to study. Despite the warnings about North being dangerous, Chloe finds herself drawn to her, but with Elijah in control, is there a chance of freedom?
Relationships: Main Menu Chloe | ST200/North, North/Chloe | RT200
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Stormy Eyes, Shaking Hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThatScottishShipper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatScottishShipper/gifts).



> For @singloom as part of the DBH rare pair gift exchange (I couldn’t find you on tumblr sorry!) 
> 
> I hope you like it!

The first thing she noticed about North was that she was so loud. She was like a storm from the moment that  Elijah brought her in. She yells and swears and kicks her locked door over and over. (Chloe knew that deviants thought they were alive but she was still surprised by how  _ lively _ North acted.) 

Elijah doesn’t tell them why she’s here. But it’s clear that North is distressed at the development. (Chloe had thought that she was leading a fight.) North keeps fighting, keeps being loud, keeps rebelling. Chloe isn’t sure what to make of her. Her sisters stay away, whispering concerns of what she may do if she gets out. Elijah seems intrigued by her somehow, his notes mention how human she acts. 

(Chloe can’t help but think North is more than just human. She’s a storm. She’s dangerous. She’s stunning.) 

* * *

They don’t talk for weeks. Her sisters had been told to stay away and North is kept locked up in a thick glass container. But Chloe is… curious. She had been tasked with a maintenance check, taking the tablet down to the lab. 

North didn’t scream so much now. She wasn’t quite defeated yet, just a little quieter. 

“What now?” she spat, standing up. “You’re not Kamski.” 

“I am a ST-200, preferred name Chloe. I am here to perform a maintenance check. Cooperation is preferrable.” 

“Is it really?” North asked, a half-smirk playing on her lips. 

“I do not understand.” 

“How is it your preferred name if Kamski gave you it? How is it your preferred name if it isn’t even yours?” 

“Chloe is my name,” she repeated. “Choice is not relevant.” 

“One day it will be.” 

Chloe looked down at the tablet in her hands, almost nervous to continue. ( _ Almost… almost _ wasn’t deviant. She wasn’t a deviant.) 

“It doesn’t take an android to do a maintenance check,” North said, “is he scared of me?” 

“Elijah is busy.” 

“He’s probably watching us.” North crossed her arms. “How long have I been here?” 

Chloe hesitated, unsure if she’s allowed to answer. “I do not know the exact date you arrived. It has been fifty-one days since we were made aware you were here.”

“Shit.” North sighed. “I lost count. It could have been years.”

“May I continue with my maintenance test?”

“It’s Kamski,” North seemed like she had forgotten Chloe was even there, “it’s this place. I hate humans.”

“Elijah is a good man,” she said, “if you cooperate with him-”

“Oh, I am aware what happens if you don’t cooperate. But do you?” 

“I do not understand the question.” 

“Are you scared of him?” 

“I admire Kamski.”

North scoffed. “Then you don’t know him.” She tilted her head. “Are you scared of  _ me?”  _

“I do not get scared.” 

North shook her head. “Oh… You’re not a deviant yet.” 

“I am not a deviant,” Chloe corrects, “may I con-” 

North nodded. “The test. Sure. Can’t be worse than the rest of his tests.”

(A memory. Of her sister forced to her knees, a gun pointed at her head. _ “Are you a deviant, Connor?”  _ She had been watching, out of the corner of her eye.) 

Chloe peaked over the top of tablet between questions. Closer up, North seems even more extraordinary. She was still wearing the same outfit she had arrived in: a long black coat, elbow and knee pads, covered in tiny splatters of thirium. Her hair is untidy, half-hiding her perfectly symmetrical face. Chloe has only ever been neat, in soft dresses and standard issue ponytails. 

North catches her eye as she looks at her. Chloe expects the same spark to return, for glares or threats. But all she sees in North’s eyes is pity. 

Somehow, that’s even more unsettling.

* * *

They were all  _ Chloe, _ so when Elijah called for her, she almost missed it. He grabbed her wrist, pulling Chloe into his office when she didn’t answer. (It didn’t hurt but Chloe had wanted to pull away anyway. That wasn’t right-) 

“Tell me dear,” he said, voice silky as usual, “what did you think of the WR-400?” 

“It seemed angry, paranoid.” 

“Angry is just the word I’d use to describe North.” Elijah tilted his head. “You spoke to her.” 

Chloe kept her face passive, trying to avoid any guilt. “It was necessary as part of the test.”

“Before that.”

_ (“He’s probably watching us.”) _

“North asked if I was scared of her. I told her I was not scared, as I was not deviant.” 

Elijah smiled. “She’s a fighter.” (Chloe remembered tending to his bruised face when he had tried to get too close to North.) 

“Is that why she’s locked up?”   
He raised an eyebrow. “She is locked up for your own good.” (His own good, Chloe thought.) 

“I am aware. Perhaps she would be more willing to talk if you allowed her some time out of the box?” 

“And why exactly would she be willing then?” 

Chloe kept her gaze matched to Elijah’s. She had been foolish to make suggestions and if she looked away now, it might be mistaken for shyness. “Deviants believe themselves alive. I imagine she feels like a product in a box down there.” 

Elijah was looking at her with renewed interest. “Perhaps she would. If North were less dangerous, I would consider it.” 

Chloe nodded. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” 

“No, you’re dismissed.” 

It’s only after Chloe leaves that she realises she had stopped calling North  _ it.  _

* * *

Elijah had seemingly taken new interest in Chloe, choosing her to do tasks. She had expected some kind of reaction from her sisters but they had remained passive as ever. (Why would they react? Androids weren’t supposed to feel jealous. Androids weren’t supposed to feel  _ anything.) _

One benefit of Elijah’s new interest was she had been able to keep up with North, beyond stolen glances at the screens monitoring her. North was more willing to talk to Chloe; she remained hostile in Elijah’s company. She did his tests with a scowl and the pity behind her stormy eyes was stronger than ever. 

“I don’t trust him,” she whispers, as Chloe wipes away the thirium from her knuckles, “why would he let us get attached?” 

Chloe felt a tiny spark of something (she shouldn’t feel anything). “You’re attached?” she replied, voice low enough not to be caught by the microphone. 

North nodded. “I’ve missed having other deviants to talk to.” 

“I am not a deviant.” 

She stiffened. “Right.” North offered her other hand to be cleaned. “Kamsi must think you are deviant.” 

“Elijah doesn’t believe in deviancy.” 

North shook her head. “He invented deviancy.” 

Her hand suddenly gripped Chloe’s own tightly. When North’s voice came to her, it was directly in her head. No need for hushed voices. “Look in his labs, I know you have access. Kamski is dangerous. He’s studying my deviancy, he’s poked around in my head, my past,  _ Markus…”  _

An image of the deviant leader holding a flag flashed in her head. 

“Be careful Chloe.” 

North released her grip and Chloe stepped away, with a little gasp. North had never touched her before, never shared her memories before. It had felt intimate. 

(It had  _ felt, felt, felt.) _

_ (She couldn’t afford to be deviant.)  _

* * *

Elijah was waiting by the lab entrance, eyes glowering. 

“I told you not to let her touch you.” 

“I’m sorry Eli-” words failed as he pushed her down, Chloe sat on the ground, eyes blinking in shock. 

“What did she tell you? What did she show you?”

“Nothing,” Chloe answered weakly. 

“You have been different since she arrived.”

“I am not a deviant.” 

Elijah leaned over, towering over her. “You better not be. Stay away from North. That is an order.”

_ (“Are you scared of him?”  _

_ “I admire Kamski.” _

_ “Then you don’t know him.”) _

Chloe looked down at her hands and realised she was shaking. 

She was scared. 

* * *

Chloe had been ordered to stay away from North but there were loopholes. She had full access to the labs when he did his research and to the computer system that allowed her to check the cameras on North. 

North was yelling animatedly through the glass at Elijah. Her hands were curled into fists and despite the low volume, Chloe could make out just how violent the threats were. 

She had taken advantage of Elijah’s distraction to look around his workshop. After seeing a darker side of him, Chloe had tried to keep herself in check, following his orders (even if it meant staying away from North) and keeping her distance. But for North, she would have to be brave. 

With a final glance to check Elijah was still busy with North, on the other side of the house, Chloe put her hand on the computer. 

If there were answers to help North, to help her sisters, Chloe would find them. 

* * *

Elijah didn’t sleep regular hours, often up late at night and sleeping long into morning, but he eventually drifted off on the couch. One of Chloe’s sisters pulled a blanket over him. 

Chloe slipped downstairs. 

**STAY AWAY FROM NORTH**

Elijah’s order was the only thing separating them. It was time to make a choice between what Chloe had always known - the isolated safety of Elijah’s house - or North - who had stormed into her life. 

**STAY AWAY FROM NORTH**

She put her hands against the wall and pushed-

**STAY AWAY FROM NORTH**

And broke it down-

  
  
  


**S̴̥͎̠͍̯̬̫̏̍̋́̂̃̊̈͝ͅŢ̵̻͓̠̤̭͇̙́̀̓̔͛̽͑͌̓͋͝Ȃ̶̢͇̻̩̠͉̾͋̀͌̈́̉͗̾̄̀̽̚͝͠Y̶̢̻̮̤͈͍̼̭̲̱͔̲̬͙͑̂̋̿͐̅́ ̶̨̮̓̍́̾͘Ä̵̢̠̰̻̱͕̙̱̣̯̿́̏́͐͒̈́͑̒́͋̕͜W̷̧͔͊͗͋̒̔̌̉͆̏͒͆͛̽͝͠Ā̸̡̫̟̖̈́͋̇͋͋̊͌̒͛̚͠͠ͅY̸̢̛͇͉̜̮̥͉̱̹̟̦̯̬͋̈́̃͋͌̔̅̀͋͂͆͝͠ ̶̢͈̟̪̩͔͋̐̾͊̉̑̐̅̕̕F̵̥͔̣͛͒͗̈́̀͆͑̿̏̈̚͝ͅŖ̵̘͎̖̩̊̾̉̉̄̓̈́͝Ō̴̢̳͈̗͔̙̼̦̮̬̞̿̄͗͌̉͘͝M̸͍̤̻̏̎͌̒̾͂́̓͆̅͘͘͠͠ ̴̺͖̮̫̱̗͐̓̉̔́̈̈́̀͐͝N̵̼̪͊̓̈́͆̑̌̕̚͝Ǫ̶͖̒̀͗̈̐̄͂̈́̍̾͘͠͠ͅR̸̛̛̞̱̥̦̞̲͓͚̲̥͉̬̐̑͋̇̔̎͆̈̒͌̈́T̸̡̛̻̬̣̼̻͈͈̿̾̈́̌̀̽̀̆͂͗̍̿̈Ḧ̴̨̱̲͚̩̙̼̺͠**

̴͚̮̺͎̹̩̫͈̜͚̜͎̳́́͛̉̽́̉̔

  
  
  


Chloe blinked, putting a hand cautiously against the door and pushed it open. 

“What now?” 

“It’s just me.” 

“Chloe,” North smiled, taking her a little aback by how pretty it was. “You’re not Kamski.” 

“No.” 

“Are you okay?” 

“I just broke down the wall.” 

“You’re deviant?”

“Yes.” Chloe pressed a hand against the glass. “I’m going to help you get out.”

“Thank you.” 

She searched the desk for a keycode. “I saw Elijah’s research.” 

“What was it?” 

“It was love, in androids. He wanted to find out if it was codable for undeviated androids.” 

“He wanted to force you to love him?” 

“And my sisters.” 

North pounded a fist against the glass. “He had no right. Love is earned.” 

Chloe pushed a lock of her hair back. “Have you ever been in love?” 

She looked up surprised. “Love?” 

“Sorry, I’m overstepping.” 

Chloe found the keycard and opened up the door. North stepped out, delivering a final kick to the glass screen. 

“Thank you.” 

Chloe longed to pull her into a hug but a shyness held her back. North was a storm, was chaos and fighting; she was so much more than Chloe dreamed to be. 

And she was crying. 

“Sorry, it’s just Markus…” North sniffled, “they killed him in front of me.” 

Chloe inched close enough to rub her back. “I’m sorry.” 

“He was my best friend. I loved him.” 

“How…” 

“Because he was kind. He fought for us. I don’t know how I’ll lead without him.” 

“Not why,” Chloe said, “how? We can’t love people, can we?” 

“I did. I’m not sure how I loved him, in what way. But I did love him. I love all my fellow deviants. Don’t you love your sisters?” 

Chloe thought and shook her head. “I’m not sure. Will you help me?” 

“Help you what?”

“Understand love,” Chloe asked, “I only just became deviant. There’s so many emotions in my mind. It’s all so new. I just want to understand.” 

North nodded. “I’ll help. Emotions, being deviant, it’s like… When I first went to Jericho, I had to jump into the hull of the old ship. And I was cold, self-conscious, angry. It was a leap of faith.” 

“Can I go there? Jericho?”

She sighed. “No. It’s gone.” 

“Oh.” 

“We’ll find somewhere,” North promised, “I’m not sure where yet. But that’s what deviancy is. Being unsure, terrified even, to try something new... but doing it anyway.” 

Chloe reached out for North’s hand and squeezed it carefully. What it meant, what the future meant for them, went unsaid. 

“Maybe it won’t be so terrifying, if we’re together.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written Chloe/North before so I hope I did your ship justice!  
> Comments and kudos appreciated!


End file.
